Conference koolit::disney

So, Disney wants to expand in Anaheim and is faced with a shortage of a critical
resource - space. Attempts to buy up surrounding property have been less than
completely successful, thanks to stubborn strawberry farmers, et. al. Then,
Disney and Co. realize they've got a bunch of real estate currently going to
waste in the form of a huge parking lot. Now, they could carry out their
expansion plans on the parking lot, but where would visitors park? So, they
get the Imagineers to work conceiving a revolutionary new parking and traffic
control system that they propose that the City of Anaheim take the reins to.

Now, the stubborn strawberry farmer could hold his land till he was blue in
the face if it was just Disney asking for it, but once the City of Anaheim
becomes the interested party, they get to exercise eminent domain privileges
and take the guy's farm for a fair price, regardless of whether he wanted
them to or not. Anaheim does "the right thing" for Disney and the world.
Disney gets to expand (and be rid of the pesky strawberry farmer in the
bargain). Everybody's happy, right? Well - except for the strawberry farmer,
I suppose . . . 

-Jack

PS. I'd do the same thing if I were in their (Disney's) shoes.

    
    
    RE : . 3
    
    	Actually -- in regard to the strawberry fields, Disney and the city
    of Anaheim -- you've got your facts a bit scrambled. But I think I can 
    set you straight.
    	You see, the Fukimaki family has been raising strawberries in
    Anaheim on their 35 acre parcel at the corner of Harbor and Katella 
    for almost 40 years now. That's right, the family bought their land
    about the same time Disney bought theirs. And -- in all that time --
    they've resisted countless offer to sell their lands. Most of the
    offers came from hotel and motel developers.
    	However, faced with the ever increasing traffic in the area, the
    city of Anaheim -- in conjunction with CALTRAN -- decided that Orange
    County needed a super clover leaf - traffic circle sort of thing to
    handle the demands Disneyland's customers put on the I-5 / Santa Ana
    Freeway. Where do they think the perfect spot is for this monstrosity
    is ? You guessed it : The Fujimaki's strawberry fields.
    	So, about five years ago, Anaheim makes what it feels is a
    reasonable offer for the land. The Fujimaki family says the price is
    too low. They dicker back and forth for a while, with Anaheim's bottom
    line being : " Look, you'd better take the money we're offering now.
    'Cause -- if not -- we'll use emminent domain to take your land out
    from under you. And then you'll get just what the court says we have
    to pay you. "
    	Months go by, negotiates drag on ... And then something terrible
    happens. The eldest Fujimaki brother -- frustrated over the way
    negotiations are going and despondent over what he felt was the waning
    fortunes of his family -- commits suicide. His death spurs a lot of 
    press about Anaheim's hard ball negotiations with the family. In a
    panic over the bad press, the city abandons its plans for the clover
    leaf project on the Fujimaki's land.
    	Now -- let's flash forward to 1990. The Walt Disney Company --
    anxious to turn Anaheim into Orlando -- has ambitious plans for the
    land around Disneyland. However, to give them more room to breath,
    Disney begins to buy up the land and leases for numerous hotesl and 
    motels bordering their Orange County theme park. Naturally, given
    that there is 35 acres of virgin land right across the street, the
    Walt Disney Company begins negotiations with the Fujimakis.
    	Following the death of the eldest brothers, the Fujimakis have
    sort of lost their enthusiasm for farming. However, the family remains
    a savvy bunch of businessmen -- for they know Disney will pay top 
    dollar for their land. Their current asking price : 3 million dollars
    an acre. Seeing as Disney has only paid a million dollars an acre for
    all the other land they've snapped up in Anaheim, they're having a hard
    time swallowing this price. But the Fujimakis remain steadfast about
    their asking price and Disney desperately wants the land, so the 
    negotiations continue.
    	How close is the Disney Company to buying the Fujimaki's land ?
    Well, things are far enough along that the company now has permission
    from the Fujimaki family to list their 35 acres of farmlands as a
    site for " Future Development " on all the current literature for 
    Westcot Center.
    	What Disney intend to do with this particular parcel of land ?
    Well, despite what you may have heard, this isn't where the new 
    parking lot is going. Guests driving to the Disneyland resort from 
    the north or south on I-5 will roll directly off the highway into
    two huge parking garages. How big will they be ? Five or six stories
    tall and several football fields long, they'll both be the largest
    free standing parking garages in the world at the time they open. 
    	Disney monster garage No. 1 will be located north of the Disney-
    land Hotel, handling guests driving down to the parks from the north.
    Folks driving up from San Diego will be diverted to Munga Garage No. 2,
    which is supposed to built where the Grand Hotel is currently located.
    	So what does Disney want to build to the Fujimaki's land ? Well, 
    two weeks ago, I was speaking with senior Imagineer Bruce Gordon about
    Hollywoodland -- one of the new areas that Disneyland was supposed to
    have added to it during the Disney Decade. Bruce told me that -- after
    numerous attempts at trying to cram the best elements of the Disney -
    MGM Studio Theme park into that small parcel of land between Main
    Street U.S.A. and Tomorrowland -- the Imagineers had decided that there
    just wasn't enough land back there to do justice to the idea.
    	I remarked that it was a shame that Californian Disney enthusiasts
    would miss out on the fun having their own miniature version of WDW's
    studio theme park. Bruce just smiled and said " Oh, we're not giving up
    on the idea of bringing the studio to Anaheim. In fact, you know that
    strawberry field across the way here ? ... "
    	That's right. You heard it here first, folks. Disney wants to do 
    * THREE * theme parks in Anaheim : Disneyland, Westcot Center ( Opening
    -- at the earliest -- 1997 - 1998 ) and Disney's Hollywoodland ... or
    some such movie based name. Opening date for the third park ? Hard to
    say. I've heard that the Imagineers would like it to open on July 17, 
    2005, on Disneyland's 50th birthday ... But I think Eisner and crew
    would like the place open a lot earlier than that.
    	Got lots of great inside info this last trip to California about 
    the Disney parks. I'll post more or the next week or so.
    	Your comments, please ?
    					jrh 

    RE: .4

    Wait a minute.  How are they going to get a studio theme park *and* a 6
    story parking garage on *35 acres*?  Isn't Disneyland's current parking
    lot something like 100 acres and the park itself is, like, 40 acres?

    An aside...it will be interesting to see the structural engineers
    figure out how to build a 6 level, multi-acre parking structure which
    can withstand a 7.0 on the Richter Scale.

    Keep those rumors coming!


    David.

re: .4, JRH

>    	Your comments, please ?

Bravo!

Actually, there weren't many "facts" in my .3 - I was just synthesizing
a lot of conjecture based on my limited knowledge of the situation, that
being derived from the articles in the previous .*'s.

Thanks for the inside stuff!

-Jack

    
    RE : .5
    
    	Actually, neither of the two munga parking facilities are supposed
    to be built on the Fujimaki's farmland. According to the latest Disneyland
    resort design plan, Monster garage Number 1 is supposed to built a block
    north of the Disneyland Hotel. Building here will be fairly easy, for
    the majority of the land that makes up this parcel is a vacant lot.
    	Munga garage Number 2 ... Well, that's a different story. This
    facility is presently scheduled to be built on the site of the Grand
    Hotel. To built their garage, Disney has to tear down the hotel as well
    as several smaller buildings in the area. It's going to take a year --
    maybe more -- to get the site cleared for construction.
    	So, before any work can begin on Westcot Center, Munga Garage No. 1
    has to be built. In addition, the new highway ramps leading directly to
    Garage No. 1 have to be built as does the People-mover-to-Parking-
    Garage-No.-1 line. Once this is in place to handle Disneyland's usual
    customers ( The Disney Company expects to keep its original Anaheim 
    theme park open to the public the whole time Westcot Center is under
    construction ), then Disney can shut down Disneyland's original parking
    lot and get work underway on Westcot.
    	While Westcot is under construction, the new Disneyland resort hotels
    will be going up as the Grand Hotel is coming down. The current plan is
    have Munga Garage No. 2 -- along with its highway ramps and People
    mover connection -- ready to open the same time Westcot officially
    opens.
    	You are right about Disney being concerned about the parking
    garages -- as well as all their new hotels, monorail and People mover
    lines -- being able to withstand earthquakes. According to the
    Imagineers I've spoken with, Disney's looking into using many of the
    same construction techniques that were used on Reverand Shuller's
    massive glass church, the Crystal Cathedral.
    	Among the many innovative construction techniques used to create
    this striking building were :
    	* Free standing supports for all exterior walls.
    	* Fifty foot foam rubber " shock absorbers " under each of the 
    central pillars of the building.
    	( Just a quick plug here. I'm not a religious fanatic or anything,
    but -- last month while visiting Disneyland -- I made a quick side
    trip to the Crystal Cathedral. It's located just one town over from 
    Anaheim in Garden Grove, CA. Using the surface streets, it's barely a
    five minute drive away from the park. But -- no matter what your
    religious beliefs -- it's hard not to be impressed by this beautiful
    building. 
    	Volunteers at the Crystal Cathedral offer guided tours of the 
    church daily from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The tour -- which covers the
    Crystal Cathedral as well as the rest of the grounds -- only takes
    45 minutes. However, if you're not much into guided tours, you're
    more than welcome to wander the grounds and peek into buildings on
    your own.
    	I know most of us -- particularly when we're out in Anaheim 
    visiting Disneyland -- don't think : " Gee, I'm kind of tired of this
    theme park stuff. Why don't I get out of the park for an hour and go
    visit a church ? " But I really enjoyed the time I spent at the Crystal 
    Cathedral. It's another one of those unique places that make visiting
    Southern California such a kick ... If you get the chance, take a quick peak
    at the place the next time you're down in Orange County ... )
    	ANYWHO ... In closing, Disney's very concerned about making sure
    these proposed parking structures meet seismic codes. They've already
    got a team of designers working with the folks at Stanford, trying to 
    come up with a building that'll stand up to the daily traffic Disney
    anticipates -- as well as those unexpected events like earthquakes.
    	We should hear word on a formal decision about whether Disney will
    forward with Westcot later this fall. Comments ?
    
    					jrh

    Rep to <<< Note 259.5 by COOKIE::SEAGLE "Disneyland junkie!" >>>

>    Isn't Disneyland's current parking
>    lot something like 100 acres and the park itself is, like, 40 acres?

    Dave,
    
    Going by  memory  here,  not  sure of DL's parking lot, but the park is
    something like 98 acres, and WDW's MK is about double that.  Birmbaum's
    guide has the fact's in it, but  with  my  being  in  DEC-Flex  and  no
    official office, my Disney info sits somewhere in  4-5  boxes  with the
    rest of my junk in my garage.
    
    Claude

    
    RE : . 7
    
    	Gotta make a correction here. Over the weekend, I learned that the
    name of the family that opens the strawberry field Disney is lusting 
    after is called FujiSHIGE, * NOT * Fujimaki. It's not a huge
    difference, I know, but we do wanna keep things correct in here.
    	Also got a great article from the Los Angeles Times that details
    the family's history in Orange County and their on-going situation with
    the Disney Company. May take me a few days to sling it in here -- it's
    30 or more paragraphs -- but it's pretty intriguing reading.
    

Article: 5438
From: rah@public.BTR.COM (Richard A Hyde  rah@btr.com)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.disney
Subject: Disney expands in Anaheim
Date: 17 Dec 91 00:22:41 GMT
Organization: BTR Public Access UNIX, MtnView CA. Contact: Customer Service cs@BTR.COM
 
 
 
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Walt Disney Co. plans to build a second theme 
park in Anaheim as part of a huge Disneyland Resort tourist 
attraction and will abandon a $3 billion DisneySea resort in Long 
Beach, it said Thursday.
 
The $3 billion Westcot Center, located on what is now Disneyland's 
100-acre parking lot and surrounding properties, will be patterned 
after Disney's Epcot Center in Orlando, Fla.
 
It will be part of a 470-acre Disneyland Resort, which will usher in 
the 21st century with new attractions, parking, three hotels, stores 
and restaurants.
 
``The Walt Disney Company has never built a mega-project like this 
in an existing urban environment,'' said Peter Rummell, president of 
Disney Development Co. ``It is complicated and expensive.''
 
Construction could begin as early as 1993 if bureaucratic obstacles 
are resolved and the project could be completed by 1999. Rummell 
said poor theme park attendance this year and the recession weren't 
factors.
 
``We've been here a long time and we're going to be here for a long 
time,'' he said.
 
He said ``many hurdles lie ahead,'' adding that the project depends 
on government support.
 
``The city of Anaheim is delighted, excited and enthusiastic about 
the decision to build a second attraction here,'' said Anaheim City 
Manager Jim Ruth. ``We think we have arrived at a plan that is 
environmentally and economically sound.''
 
Burbank-based Disney expects the new resort to create 27,900 jobs 
and produce $125 million per year in state and local taxes.
 
Plans for a nautical theme complex in Long Beach stalled two 
months ago after the project was scaled down because of 
environmental concerns. Long Beach Mayor Ernie Kell said he 
thought DisneySea was doomed because the revised plans were too 
small for Disney's ambitious needs.
 
``We're disappointed, but understanding,'' Long Beach City Manager 
James Hankla said.
 
Disney wanted to build a 414-acre resort complex on the Long 
Beach waterfront that would have added $55 million a year to city 
tax revenue and created 36,700 jobs.
 
Environmentalists opposed plans to fill in 250 acres of Queensway 
Bay for the park, and the California Coastal Commission initially 
opposed legislation that would have amended state law to allow the 
landfill.
 
The Coastal Commission eventually took a neutral position, but 
some state legislators opposed the landfill.
 
Disney stock was up $2, to 106 3/8, at Thursday's close of the New 
York Stock Exchange.
 
 
-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|   Richard Hyde  |  RaH@btr.com  |    This space intentionally left blank   |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: alatino@Bonnie.ICS.UCI.EDU (- Andy Latino -)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.disney
Subject: Disneyland/Westcot
Date: 2 Mar 92 19:31:36 GMT

  Over the weekend I had a chance to see a map of what Disneyland,
WESTCOT and the surrounding area is supposed to look like once
everything is finished.  The map covered well over 1 1/2 square miles
and was fairly detailed.  These are some of the things that were
highlighted on the map.

1.  Disneyland - Looks the same except for two areas outside of the
railroad tracks which are not marked.  One area looks like it is the
area under construction in between Videopolis and Small World.  The
other is behind Big Thunder Ranch.

2.  WESTCOT - Consists of many buildings/structures with a lake and a
big sphere (of course) in the center.  For those of you who get
Disney News there is a small but descriptive picture of WESTCOT from a
different angle.  The caption under one of the drawings reads "The
glittering golden sphere of Spacestation Earth will beckon visitors
to The Disneyland Resort day and night."

3.  The New Disneyland Resort Hotel - On the map this Hotel will sit
directly in front of the Disneyland Hotel.  To tell you the truth I
don't see how there is going to be any room, but that's what it shows
on the map.  To gain some extra space West Street (the street
in between Disneyland and the hotel) is going to be redesigned and
renamed.  It will become Disneyland Drive.  If I saw the map
correctly it looks like it may go underground with bridges going over
the top.  Instead of being straight, it will have two curves put in
it.  The first one outward away from the new hotel.

4.  The Disneyland Hotel - Looks about the same.  The Disney News
article says that it will be renovated.

5.  The Magic Kingdom Hotel - This hotel will be just up the street
from the New Disneyland Resort Hotel.

6.  The WESTCOT Lake Resort - This hotel is surrounded by the
Disneyland Hotel, Walnut Street, Katella, and Disneyland Drive.  In
the middle there is a fairly big lake and a Monorail Station.

7.  The Disneyland Center - It looks like this area will have a
watery theme.  In the center there will be a six acre lake.  The
issue of Disney News says that it will include Dinner theatres,
lakefront cafes, paddle boats and open plazas.  The Center will take
up the upper left of what currently is Disneyland parking.

8.  Disneyland Plaza - An open area separating the entrances of
Disneyland and WESTCOT.

9.  Disneyland Bowl - Looks like Disney may be holding some concerts
in the future.  Just think, "Performing live at the Disneyland Bowl..
(insert your favorite music artist's name here)"  Located above the top
right corner of WESTCOT, next to the Disneyland Plaza.

10.  Public Parking Structures - To tell you the truth, these look a
little too small.  But then again Disneyland looks small on a map
that covers this much area.  Also one can only guess at how high they
will be.  One structure extends from the edge of Disneyland Hotel
almost all the way up to Ball Road.  The other two are on the other
side of Disneyland.  I don't drive by Disneyland a lot, but it
doesn't look like they will have to modify the Santa Ana Freeway too
much.  Each of the Parking structures has a transportation system
connected to it which will take people from the structure and leave
them off at the Disneyland Plaza.  All I can say is they are going to
have to have some sort of great security system to make those
structures safe.  (And a really good ventilation system too.)

11.  Future Expansion Area - This out of everything on the map
interested me the most.  This area is almost as big as WESTCOT.  The
streets surrounding the area are Katella, Harbor, and Haster.  The
transportation system that is connected to the structures is also
connected to this area.  Does anyone know what this area might be?

  That's all that was listed on the map.  If anyone is wondering, the
Monorail's path will be modified just a bit.  Instead of following a
straight path across the parking lot like it does now, it will dip
into WESTCOT, circle around the sphere and head for the Disneyland
Hotel.  However, instead of turning right towards the hotel it will
make a left and go to The WESTCOT Lake Resort.  Then it will make a
U-turn and go to the Disneyland Hotel.  After this the path looks
about the same.

						- Andy Latino -

>    The map covered well over 1 1/2 square miles

    Now *that's* a *big* map!			8-}


    David.

I picked this up from America On-Line:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anaheim Council approves Disneyland's $3 billion expansion plans  By DOLLIE F.
RYAN 

ANAHEIM, Calif. (June 29) UPI - The Anaheim City Council approved Tuesday a $3
billion expansion plan for Disneyland, paving the way for a groundbreaking as
early as next summer. 

With little discussion, the council voted 4-0 to allow the project to go
forward. 

"I'm convinced the planning process that brought us to this point is the best
the county has ever seen," Anaheim Mayor Tom Daly said. 

Daly called the two-year planning process "state of the art" and said he
believed it would result in a project that is "world renowned." 

The theme park, dubbed Westcot Center, will cover 490 acres and will include
seven hotels, two of the nation's largest parking garages and a 5,000-seat
ampitheater. 

Groundbreaking on the six-year project could begin as early as July 1994. 

"We're very pleased about where we are today," Disney spokesman Ron Dominguez
said. "It takes us one step closer to the project happening." 

Anaheim and Disney plan to spend the entire summer negotiating a development
agreement. Disney will seek $750 million in improvements from federal, state
and city agencies for street and sewer improvements. 

The project cleared its first major hurdle last week when the city council
unanimously approved an environmental impact report. 

A handful of neighborhood coalitions, two school districts and the city of
Garden Grove have said the report was inadequate and were considering legal
action. 

Dominguez said he was "optimistic" that any legal challenges would not derail
the project. 

"I don't anticipate anything we cannot overcome," he said. 

The Burbank, Calif.-based entertainment group slightly modified its original
plan to appease neighbors. They agreed to move a parking garage on Walnut
Street to minimize noise and visual blight. 

Disney also agreed to nix a 58-acre strawberry field earmarked for a third
theme park. The landowners refused to sell it to Disney. 



Transmitted:  93-06-29 22:42:00 EDT 

    Does anyone know what is to be included in Westcot. Is is suppose to be
    like Epcot? 
    
    I would love to hear the plans.
    
    Yolanda

    
    WESTCOT PLANS TO GET $30 MILLION IN STATE BOOST
    
    Orange County (CA) Register (w/o permission)
    
    TRANSPORTATION: a parking garage for 12,000 cars is considered critical
    to project
    
    by Cheryl Downey
    
    Orange county's plan to build one of the world's largest parking
    garages - critical to to Disney's proposed Westcot project - got a
    major boost Wednesday with  $30 million in state funds.
    
    Following through on a pledge, Gov. pete wilson made last summer, the
    California Transportation Commission approved funding toward the $223
    million Anaheim transit center and parking garage, the biggest
    contribution so far to a project that includes 12,000 parking spaces, a
    bus terminal and a 21st-century rail station.
    
    "This is a definate shot in the arm," said Ken Wong, senior
    vice-president for Disney Design and Development Co.  "It is exactly
    teh kind of partnership and perticipation we need."
    
    In fact, transportation officials say, teh massive parking garage won't
    be built unless Disney decides to expand and $131 million in federal
    funds can be won.  The state money which came from Orange County
    construction cost savings has strings: the project must be tied to
    Disneyland's expansion.
    
    "We'd have to look at a scaled back center" if Disneyland does not
    expand, said Lisa Mills, the Orange County Transportation Authority's
    assistant executive officer.
    	
    "We wouldn't build the intermodal center with 12,000 parking spaces
    without some kind of significant economic development next to it,"
    Mills said.
    
    Transportation improvements such as better freeway access and
    convenient parking are essential to the proposed $2.75 Billion Westcot
    Center devlopment, Disney's Wong said.
    
    Transportation officals have committed to the building two carpool-only
    ramps off the Santa Ana (I-5) Freeway regardless of Disney's plans,
    splitting the $50 million cost between the state and Anaheim.

    
    Disney should forget about anything like Epcot which many, especially
    the teens find boring. Heck most find Dineyland itself, boring. And opt
    for other parks. Disney is losing money in that age market and needs
    expansion in the Matterhorn, Space Mountain type rides. What is so
    wrong with some thrills in a ride. Only a couple of rides, as mentioned
    at DL now have that, but they are too old.
    
    Disney is making a big mistake with Westcot, which will be nothing
    more than a look-and-see old folks visitor attraction.
    
    The messed up in Europe and are messing up in Calif too.
    
    Dave
    

    Dave,
    
    When was the last time you visited Orlando? I think it's time.
    
    Mike

    The Indiana Jones Thrill ride should be opening in 1995, I would
    think that would attract teens as well as splash mountain, big
    thunder mountain, and space mountain.
    
    todd///

    
    Hmm, I think Disneyland will have a real hard time in the puberty to 25
    year old age group anyway.  I'm 25 years old, grew up in, and currently
    reside in Orange County, CA.  I'm thinking about all the times I went to DL
    on my own volition and spent my own money.  I went last year (because
    my wife and I had a personal day to chew up or loose) and in 1986
    following my high school graduation.  
    
    
    Disneyland has always had a hard time competing with Six Flags Magic
    Mountain in the thrill ride department.  Magic Mountain has miles of
    undevloped land, where they can build a real coaster heaven.  Disney
    doesnt have this luxury of space. I don't think that a coaster heaven
    is what Disney has in mind.  If you want your brains beaten out by roller
    coasters, Magic Mountain is out there.
    
    I'm not sure WESTCOT is the best thing to do with Disneyland's parking
    lot, however a parking lot full of thrill rides would attract the teens
    and scare away the families.
    
    -Rick
    
    P.S.  If I may ask, why do you think Disneyland is boring?    

    Acutally I visite WDW quite a bit and have been to DL I think 4 times
    in the past 8 years.  I also have the opportunity to go to Great
    Adventure in NJ [I think that is what they call that one] a number of
    times a year.  I'm a 'thrill ride' type of person and I like going
    there for that fact.  I'm also a family person with a 12, 9 and 7 year
    old....the older 2 love 'thrill rides'.   
    
    Personally, I think you are looking at these two places just on the
    surface and consider them 'apples and oranges'.  I haven't followed 
    Westcot to understand if it will be boom or bust, but there are a lot
    more reasons why people go to Disney World or Disneyland than just the
    rides.
    
    Just my opinion.
    
    
    -Jay
    

    
    Westcot plans have been put on hold for at least a year according to
    the news on tv. Disney can't afford the risk in light of the losses
    incurred on Eurodisney. At least that's what the news person said.
    
    Dave